After a long period, the Roma community has been deprived a seat at the top of the executive, said opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski on the world day of the Romani language.

It was tradition in Macedonia to keep a seat on the Government for a representative of the Roma community, who would be able to raise initiatives to help these often discriminated against people. But in the latest Government reshuffle after the July 15 elections, Zoran Zaev eliminated this position.

The Roma in Macedonia are an unbreakable part of our multi-cultural society and we must have their language and culture supporter and elevated in the institutions, including the right to study in the Romani language, and to use it in the institutions. We are witnessing a growing number of violations of the rights of the Roma, and we now see that, after a long period, there are no members of the Roma community in the top echelons of the executive. This shows the lack of interest in the Government for this badly marginalized community, Mickoski said.